Braced fence post



Jan. 15, 1929. 1,699,461

J. BURNS BRACED FENCE POST Filed o qz. 12., 192s Joseph @www Ime/nto@ Patented Jan. l5, 1929.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH BURNS, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

IBRAGED FENCE .'POSI.

Application filed October 12, 19,26. Serial No. 141,106.

My invention relates to fence posts for fences which are intended for temporary use and which are designed for storage in compact form when not in use. It has in view two primary objects. One of the two objects is the provision of a post and brace which are self-contained, light in Vweight, and extremely rigid in use. The second object is the provision of features whereby the post and brace may be quickly and easily set in the soil and as easily removed therefrom and whereby the parts may be adjusted and assembled and disassembled with the minimum of eiort and in the minimum of time. Other objects will be mentioned in the following description.

Referring now to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the fence post and brace, the brace being-'adjusted for level ground.'

Figure 2 is asimilar view of a fence post and brace, the adjustment of the brace being such that the fence post is adapted to be placed upright on sloping ground or inclined on either sloping or level ground.

Figure 3 is a view of theside and front surfaces of the fence post.

Figure 4 is a view of the channeled surface of the brace.

Figure 5 is a view of the pin.

Figure 6 is an illustration showing a snow fencel of the present type and showing particularly the difficulty which T aim to avoid by means of my bracedy fence post.

Figure 7 is an illustration showing the use of my fence post for supporting snow fences.

My fence post is designed primarily for use in supporting snow fences. Such fences are temporary in their nature, being set up late in the fall and being allowed to remain until spring. They are placed parallel to and some distance from the road or highway and on the Windward side of the road or highway. Their function is to check the drift of the snow and to thus cause the snow drifts to accumulate on the leeward side of the fence and at some distance from the road. They are usually set up in cultivated fields at the side of the road and thevsnowv drifts are formed on the field where the moisture is allowed to saturate the soil whenever the snow thaws. The soil is relatively soft both because it is in a cultivated condition and because of the moist condition due to the saturation from the melting snow,

Since the fences are more or less temporary it is not feasible to properly anchor the posts as they must be removed at theend of the snow season. The result is the condition illustrated in Figure 6 in which a portion of the fence has been blown down, thus al-y lowing the snow to form deep drifts across the road. The posts at present in use are unsatisfactory not only because of their instability but also because of the difficulty in transporting and handling them when setting up or taking down a fence.

My fence post proper is shown at 10. This is formed from channeled steel having its side portions infolded at the end of the post to form a pointed end 11 as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The post is also provided with lips 12 struck out of the metal at the front surface of the post, the lips 12 being designed to support the fence. The post as thus constructed is light in weight and it is easily thrust into the yground or removed therefrom. It lacks the bracing feature,

however, and without additional support it would blow over when a strong wind strikes the fence.

The bracing structure is shown in Figures 1 and 2. The brace proper 13 is formed of channeled steel having apertured ears at its ends and it is connected at its lower end vto the post by means of a link 14 which also has apertured ears at its ends. The brace 13 and the link 14 are identical except in their dimensions. The link 14 is necessarily shorter than the brace 13 and it is made in such width that it readily nests in the channel of the post 10. The brace 13 has a width such that it can be folded into the channel of the link 14, The post 10 is provided with a series of apertures 15 adjacent its upper end and with a single aperture 16 im- Vmediately above the ground line. The link 14 is secured by means of the pin 17 hto the post 10 through an aperture 16. The brace 13 is secured to the post 10 through an aperture 15 by means of a similar pin 17. The outer ends of the brace 13 and the link 14 are also connected by means of a similar pin 17 passing through their end apertures.

When it is desired to place the fence in perpendicular position on level ground the parts 10, 13 and 14 are positioned as shown in Figure 1 and the post is thrust into the ground until the part 14 rests on the surface of the ground. If the ground is sloping or if it is desired to place the post 10 in an inclined position then the brace 13 is adjusted with reference to the post 1() by passing the pins 17 through the suitable aperture 15, thus making possible any desired inclination. If it becomes necessary to cultivate the soil or to mow the grass adjacent the fence either pin 17 may be removed from the fence post to permit the swinging of the parts 13 and 14 into the plane of the post where they willvbe entirely out of the way.

The most common form of fence used as a snow fence along public highways consists of a series of vertical slats having steel or other wires twisted about them in horizontal strands. When the fence is to be removed itsconnection with the post is first released and the fence is rolled into bundles so that it can be easily handled and transported. The posts likewise are withdrawn from the ground and piled into the truck or other conveyance. My invention facilitates both the handling and the transportation of the posts. The fence is merely hung` on posts with the strands of the fence engaging the lips 12. The fence is securely held to the posts and the eect of the wind can be only to cause the fence to press more tightly against the posts. When it is desired to remove the fence from the posts it is only necessary to slightly lift the fence so as to lift the strands out of engagement with the lips 12. After the fence has been removed the posts are disassembled by withdrawing the pins 17 and the posts are then withdrawn from the ground. Since all parts of the post and brace are of channeled steel they are exceedingly light in weight and are thus easily handled. Since the various parts nest readily into eachother it is possible to withdraw the pin 17 at the outer end of the parts 13 and 14 and to fold both of these parts into the channel of the post so as to produce an exceedingly compact bundle without any lloose parts.

I have described my invention particularly in relation to its use with snow fences. It is obvious, however, that the post and brace may be useful in nearly every other kind of a fence. For example, it is customary for farmers to erect temporary fences about cornfields after the corn has been harvestedin order to confine the cattle in the cornfield. My braced post possesses marked advantages over the posts at present used and a fence may be thrown around a cornfield with very little effort by using the posts which I have described. To a greater or less extent this is true wherever a temporary fence of any kind is needed. rI'he device is also usefuly to some extent in permanent fences.

Having thus described my invention in such full, clear, and exact terms that itsv construction and utility will be. readily understood by others skilled in the art to which it pertains, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

kA knockdown foldable yfence post, com prising a channelled post open along one side and having a rounded and pointed end i for entering the ground, a channelled brace open along one side, means for adjustably connecting one end of the brace to an upper portion of the post, a channelled ground engaging link open along one side, and meansV for pivotally connecting the opposite ends of the link to the lower portion of the post and to the lower end of the brace, said post, brace and link being of different widths and adapted to be nested together into compact form for storage and transportation. Y

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature.

JOSEPH BURNS. 

